The Pennsbury School District has announced it will increase security measures at Pennsbury High School following recent altercations on campus. However, some of the measures being implemented have upset students.
On Thursday afternoon, a large group of students walked out of Pennsbury High School in Falls Township to protest the district adding restrictions to bathrooms due to the recent fights.
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Several of the recent fights and incidents of vandalism in the high school that serves students from Falls Township, Lower Makefield Township, Tullytown Borough, and Yardley Borough have taken place in or around bathrooms, according to school officials.
The school administration has implemented new procedures, including sign-ins for use of the bathrooms, adding security and hall monitors near the bathrooms, and limiting access to the bathrooms.
“We all have to suffer because some idiots are causing fights,” a student from Falls Township who took part in the walkout told LevittownNow.com. “This is dumb that everyone has to suffer.”
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A student who lives in Lower Makefield Township, whose parent noted they were upset for the teens, said: “Because of fights, we shouldn’t have to deal with consequences like what they’re doing. Why do we have to wait half-an-hour to go to the bathroom? Are they going to check the stalls next?”
The two students both declined to provide their names for publication over concerns of retaliation by administration.
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A Change.org petition titled “Stop Pennsbury High School bathroom restrictions” had 97 signatures as of Thursday evening.
One student from Levittown who signed the petition wrote: “Schools shouldn’t be prisons.”
An Instagram page called Pennsbury United called for the walkout. A Wednesday post on the page said the bathroom policy was unfair and interrupts teaching.
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On Thursday afternoon after the walkout, it issued a statement: “It was fantastic to see the amount of people who showed up today. All of you who came and acted in accordance should be abundantly proud of yourselves!”
The students who took part in Thursday’s walkout will not be disciplined, Superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Theresa Ricci, and Principal Reggie Meadows wrote to parents.
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“As a district, we recognize and support the rights of our students to peacefully assemble,” they said.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
In a statement to parents, the district confirmed that investigations showed the altercations were the result of issues that began outside of school, and that students involved will be disciplined in accordance with Pennsbury’s Student Code of Conduct.
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According to reporting by this news organization on Wednesday, one of the students was charged with fighting another after police were called last Monday.
Meadows said he would be holding meetings Friday through next Wednesday with students over the fights.
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“During these meetings, I will emphasize that physical violence is not acceptable under any circumstances, and encourage all students to communicate with teachers, counselors, or administrators if they are experiencing any difficulties or conflicts with their peers. It is important that our students learn to resolve conflicts in a peaceful and respectful manner, and we will continue to reinforce this message. Students involved in behavior like this will be disciplined and the police alerted along with possible charges,” he said.
Meadows plans to also address bystander behavior seen in recent videos recorded by students. Many of the videos were passed around among students and some ended up on social media.
Prior to the walkout, Meadows told parents the school staff would need “patience” as they move to the new bathroom procedures.
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“These changes were put into place to address vandalism and ensure student safety. We have made adjustments this week based on input from students and staff. We plan further changes to ease restrictions as we transition to next week. The goal is to eliminate restrictions in the near future, but still have hall aides and security positioned near each bathroom. We expect that all students will follow rules and regulations, but we will institute these procedures again if we start having the same issues,” the principal said.
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